The present invention relates to a method for a terminal using services offered by a master station, and a terminal.
A method by which a terminal uses services that are offered by a master station, for example, in the form of telephone banking, is conventional.
Also terminals designed as mobile radio units including a control unit and a transmitting/receiving device for transmitting and receiving data over a data network are conventional.
The method and terminal according to the present invention have the advantage that very complex services can be used by terminals that have only limited input possibilities. In this context, for using such a complex service, it is only required for a service identification allocated to the service to be selected to be input at a control unit of the terminal. In this context, such an input of a service identification can be carried out most easily using a ten-key pad of the terminal.
A further advantage exists when a terminal according to the present invention is used in a vehicle since the driver must only input the service identification for activating the service he desires at the control unit of the terminal and, therefore, is not significantly impaired in his attention to the traffic so that traffic safety during the operation of such a terminal is increased.
A further advantage is that, because of merely inputting the service identification at the control unit of the terminal for activating the appertaining desired service, no information or parameters on the service to be activated must be stored in the terminal so that memory space is saved in the terminal. The terminal can be implemented independently of the services offered by the master station since the service data generated by the master station is adapted to the possibilities and the scope of functionality of the terminal requesting the corresponding service. In this manner, no additional outlay is required in the terminal for implementing the method according to the present invention so that conventional terminals can be used and no additional manufacturing effort or outlay of material or space exists for the terminal.
It is an advantage that a user identification is transmitted to the master station by the activation data, and that the master station transmits the service data to a first terminal only if the user identification matches user data stored in the master station. In this manner, a check of the access authorization for the services offered by the master station is made possible in a simple manner. In this context, the access authorization can be checked very quickly, as well, since the user identification is transmitted to the master station with the activation data.
It is also beneficial for the first terminal to transmit a request signal including the terminal identifier and/or the user identification to the master station over a first data network, and for the master station to transmit a service-identification signal to the first terminal over the first data network as a function of a received request signal. The service-identification signal includes service identifications of the services of the master station which are usable by the first terminal. In this manner, the user gets an overview of the usable services of the master station and their service identifications, which the user can also store in the terminal for subsequent selection processes, if desired, so that the clarity and the operating convenience of the terminal are enhanced. Because the master station provides the user with the service identifications of the services which can be used by the terminal, and, possibly, by storing these service identifications in the terminal, the user no longer has to memorize the services that can be used by his terminal.
It is a further advantage that, with the assistance of the activation data, additional data on the condition and/or on the location of the first terminal are transmitted to the master station, and the service data is generated by the master station as a function of the additional data so that the condition and/or the location of the first terminal are provided for during the implementation of the selected service at the first terminal. In this manner, a part of the data necessary for configuring a service can be generated by the terminal automatically and routed to the master station. Thereby, condition- and/or location-dependent data of the terminal can be provided for during the activation of a correspondingly desired service.
Moreover, it is advantageous for the service identification, the terminal identifier and/or the user identification to be combined into one shared identifier. In this manner, the selection of a desired service and the generation of the service data which is adapted to the possibilities and the scope of functionality of the terminal can be simplified and combined into only one process in the master station in a time-saving manner.
It is also advantageous that service-configuration data having parameters for adjusting a service, which is usable by the first terminal and offered by the master station is transmitted to the master station, by a second terminal over a second data network; the terminal identifier and/or the user identification of the first terminal is transmitted to the master station; service data is derived from the service-configuration data and stored in the master station with the terminal identifier and/or the user identification; and a service identification is allocated to the service data, stored in the master station with the service data, and transmitted to the second terminal over the second data network. In this manner, user-configured services can be activated at a first terminal that has a limited input possibility by inputting the appertaining service identification at the control unit in a simple manner without having to configure these services at the first terminal beforehand. Instead, such services can be configured using a second terminal which is not limited in its input possibility; the service itself, however, can be used at the first terminals which is limited in its input possibility. In this manner, the functionality of the first terminal is enhanced without requiring any additional outlay during the manufacture of the first terminal.
A further advantage occurs when the first terminal is used in a vehicle. In this context, the driver can configure a service in the master station prior to driving the vehicle via the second terminal and activate this service during the drive simply by inputting the service identification at the first terminal. A complex user configuration during the drive is eliminated, and a first terminal, which is limited in its input possibility, can be carried in the vehicle for activating and using this service. Therefore, the attention of the driver is not taken up with configuring the service during the drive, and the limited spatial conditions in the vehicle are provided for by using the space-saving first terminal with limited input possibilities.
Moreover, it is advantageous that information on output possibilities of the first terminal and/or on predefinable output possibilities are transmitted with the service-configuration data. In this manner, the service data can be adapted to the output possibilities and/or to the output preferences of the user in the form of different predefinable output modes of, for example, voice output or data display on a display of the first terminal, in response to the selection of a corresponding service by the first terminal.
It is also advantageous to use a common data network for the first and the second data network. In this manner, a high flexibility in the utilization of data networks for transmitting the service-configuration data, the service data, the activation data, and the request signal is possible. Besides, the method according to the present invention can be implemented with the lowest possible need of data networks, as well.
A further advantage is that, with the assistance of the service data transmitted to the first terminal, the traffic situation from the current location of the first terminal to the destination is monitored at the first terminal as a function of a destination selected at the second terminal and transmitted to the master station with the service-configuration data and a function of a current location of the first terminal transmitted to the master station by the first terminal with the additional data. In this manner, especially when using the first terminal in a vehicle, a traffic situation can be monitored in a simple manner, requiring a minimum of attention from the user or driver while a maximum of traffic information is received by the first terminal.
It is also advantageous to have a terminal at whose control unit at least one text is inputtable, foe example via an alphanumeric keyboard, where the at least one text can be allocated to a service identification, and where the at least one text can be stored in the memory and outputted at an output unit subsequent to selecting an operating mode in which a service identification can be input at the control unit. In this manner, the service identifications can be better identified by the user, thus allowing the user to select and activate a service at the terminal in a manner that is faster and requires less attention, and, particularly when arranging the terminal in a vehicle, does not result in a significant impairment of traffic safety during the drive because of the negligible distraction of the driver during the corresponding control of the terminal for activating the desired service.
A further advantage is that all texts stored in the memory can be outputted at the output unit during the operating mode; that one of the outputtable texts can be selected at the control unit; and, subsequent to the selection of a text, the transmitting/receiving unit sends off activation data including a service identification allocated to the selected text. In this manner, the clarity during the selection of a service at the terminal is increased for the user, thus permitting a faster selection and less distraction of the user, which, particularly in road traffic, has a positive effect on traffic safety.
It is also advantageous for the control unit to be provided with at least one key, which a service identification can be allocated to, and the transmitting/receiving unit to send activation data including the allocated service identification subsequent to the actuation of the at least one key. In this manner, the service identifications can be allocated to the keys of the terminal, for example, to the preset station buttons of a car radio with integrated telephone. The allocation of specific service identifications to such keys makes it easier to select, above all, very frequently used services.